HomeWest VirginiaBraxton County
Braxton County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Braxton County, West Virginia had an estimated 12,051 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,446, across 511 square miles. County output reached $417.2 m in 2024, 232 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $9.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Braxton County
How many people live in Braxton County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,208
- Households4,790
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$50,331
- Median age46.6
- Median gross rent$606 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$117,900
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree3.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over9,142
- Population under 182,245
- Share under 1818.4 percent
- Population 65 and over3,043
- Share 65 and over24.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,920
- Civilian labor force4,392
- Unemployment rate9.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over44.1 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties41st of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2339th of 3,222
Braxton County is the 41st largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.9 percent against 18.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Braxton County
Is Braxton County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,051
- Census 2020 base population12,446
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.17 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-88
- Births, 2024103
- Deaths, 2024192
- Natural change, 2024-89
- Net domestic migration, 20243
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 20243
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202450
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2769th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.17 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Braxton County
Where are people moving to Braxton County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving162
- People arriving, from those returns291
- Tax returns filed by households leaving161
- Net household movement1
- Adjusted gross income arriving$7.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$44,167
- Average income of a leaving household$37,348
- Largest single originNicholas County (25 households)
- Largest single destinationGilmer County (20 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County | 25 | 50 | $974,000 |
Households arriving report $6,819 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Nicholas County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Braxton County
What is the Braxton County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$417.2 m
- County GDP, 2023$396.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.1 percent
- GDP change over five years20.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes42nd of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2521st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$34,178
Output grew 5.1 percent in the latest year and 20.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Braxton County
Employment by industry in Braxton County
- Covered employment, annual average3,738
- Establishments reporting380
- Average annual pay$45,932
- Average weekly wage$883
- Retail trade, employment685
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,545
- Manufacturing, employment314
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,573
- Construction, employment130
- Construction, average annual pay$54,632
- Other services, except public administration, employment113
- Other services, except public administration, average annual pay$42,624
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment107
- Finance and insurance, employment47
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 685 | 50 | $38,545 |
| Manufacturing | 314 | 10 | $66,573 |
| Construction | 130 | 28 | $54,632 |
| Other services, except public administration | 113 | 22 | $42,624 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 107 | 26 | $45,120 |
| Finance and insurance | 47 | 10 | $49,610 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 46 | 17 | $66,381 |
| Utilities | 43 | 5 | $153,569 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 685 jobs, 18.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Braxton County
How many businesses are in Braxton County?
- Establishments, all industries232
- Employment at those establishments2,754
- Annual payroll$109.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Braxton County
Building permits in Braxton County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202411
- Declared construction value permitted$3.3 m
- Single family units authorized11
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$302,641
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.3
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Braxton County
SBA loans in Braxton County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,061,711
- Median 7(a) approval$400,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)116
- Jobs per approval12.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term240 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer66.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals22.2 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Community Bank (4)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,020,000
- Median 504 approval$1,020,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval11.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Braxton County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Braxton County
Do SBA loans in Braxton County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
Only 0 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Braxton County
SBA lending by place in Braxton County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Gassaway, approvals6
- Sutton, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gassaway | 6 | $3,910,400 |
| Sutton | 3 | $5,645,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Braxton County
How large is Braxton County?
- Land area511 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties14th of 55
- Width, east to west31.6 mi
- Height, north to south27.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land24
- Establishments per square mile0.45
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Braxton County
Flood risk in Braxton County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Braxton County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540009
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Braxton County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Braxton County (community 540009), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Braxton County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Braxton County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Braxton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,208
- Households4,790
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$50,331
- Median age46.6
Common questions
Braxton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Braxton County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,051 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,208, in 4,790 households, ranking 41st of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Braxton County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.17 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,446, to 12,051 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 103 births against 192 deaths, with net migration of 3. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Braxton County?
$50,331. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $117,900, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $606 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Braxton County?
232 establishments, employing 2,754 people with an annual payroll of $109.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Braxton County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 685 jobs, 18.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,738 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,932, or $883 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Braxton County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $9.6 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $400,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $1.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Braxton County?
11 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Braxton County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Braxton County come from?
The largest single origin is Nicholas County, with 25 households. Arriving households report an average income of $44,167 against $37,348 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Braxton County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Braxton County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Braxton County
Cities and places in Braxton.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in Braxton County. All 4 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton | town | 797 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Gassaway | town | 688 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Burnsville | town | 547 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Flatwoods | town | 319 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |